2024-2025 President's Message  |  Read Jorge's Speech as Incoming President

Our professional association has defied gravity this year! As we say goodbye to 2024, let us take this moment to reflect on our shared accomplishments and anticipate the steps we will take together to reach new heights in 2025.

The strategic planning committee outlined our focus areas for the next three years. The team identified Organizational Sustainability, Professional Development and Networking, Advocacy, and Communication as key priorities. Committees are now actively developing initiatives aligned with these strategic areas, paving the way for meaningful progress: https://www.flalib.org/fla-2024-2026-strategic-plan. 

One wonderful initiative that has spawned from this meeting is the creation of a new Fundraising Committee. I am thrilled to see what this group will accomplish.

Our dedicated Executive Director, Jenny, took the lead in spearheading the search for a new Association Management System (AMS) for FLA. The AMS serves as the backbone of our operations, supporting our website, membership services, communications, and many other essential functions that enhance our daily association activities. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all board members and committee chairs who participated in meetings and evaluations to ensure we selected the system best suited to our needs.

Thank you to our board and committees for all the hard work that goes behind the scenes.

Thank you Jenny, our executive director, and Courtney, our new staff member, for your dedication.

Thanks to the efforts of the Membership Development Committee, our membership rates are now more accessible than ever. I encourage you to invite your colleagues to join us and contribute to strengthening our association together.

I thank both the Professional Development and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (DEIA) Committees for bringing wonderful webinars, book discussions, newsletters and other resources exclusive to our membership this year. All wickedly phenomenal!

The Advocacy and Legislative and Intellectual Freedom (IF) Committees have been busy working in advocacy; obtaining an IF Help Line Grant from the American Library Association and preparing for Library Day at the Capitol in March, among other notable activities. 

It is nice to hear that colleagues are stepping up to run for open FLA positions on board. Thank you, Nominating Committee, for your work on this!

Thank you to our Conference Planning Committee and our expert event planner who are working hard to have an exciting annual conference in May. Can’t wait to see you all there! 

Talking about our conference, the Awards and Honors Committee have revamped the award categories and criteria. Please look out for a call for nominations!

The Communications Committee are creating wonderfully designed association design and messaging crucial to conference and all committee activities. Thank you!

Our future is unlimited. Together we’re unlimited. Together we will be the greatest team. If we work in tandem, there is no fight we cannot win. We are defying gravity, and nothing can pull us down. Let’s celebrate in the joy of what we have accomplished this year and what is yet to come in 2025!

Jorge Perez
2024-2025 FLA President
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